Disgust at schools merger

I attended one of the 'so called' consultation meetings at Wisewood School. I was not happy with the merger proposal but I would listen to the points for and against. What I heard shook me to the core. I had to agree with the mums and dads, who were branded as hysterical at the time, that this was a done deal. All proposals were ready to be put into practice for 2011.

What was put forward made it clear that Wisewood School was to be sacrificed. Once again the north of Sheffield was to lose out.

This was further evident when it was stated that the 250m would be lost and that any money for new buildings, refurbishments and educational equipment would have to be funded by council taxes, etc. This appears to be total scaremongering. Is it not the truth that the money would be available providing a suitable alternative plan is submitted?

Now it appears that Wisewood School would not even be redesigned as a 14-19 year old education centre and there were no plans for the site. No doubt Myers Grove is in dire need of urgent attention.

I can see no reason why both schools could not be saved and kept open to GCSE level. The proposed new Myers Grove site could have its intake up to GCSE level and accommodate the 14-19 year old students.

These are young people's lives they are playing with and future generations will benefit or suffer from their actions. Parents will realise the 'consultation process' is a total sham.

Kath Bryson, Wadsley, Sheffield

The Electoral Commission told us that the 760,000 spent in Sheffield on telephone, internet and advance voting pilots in May had no real impact on turnout (Aug 2).

Sheffield should get back to focusing on the basics of elections, with more time spent on checks on the postal vote system which is currently wide open to fraud.

The system of issuing a polling card and voting at a polling station has been tried and tested over more than 100 years. Postal votes should be limited to people who are housebound or working away.

Voter disillusionment is the cause of low turnouts. The adversarial nature of local politics and sham consultations with local communities just turn them off.

The vote to reverse Labour's plan to merge Wisewood and Myers Grove schools should have been an opportunity for politicians, officers, teachers, governors and the two communities to come together to look at genuine alternatives. Instead communication between the two biggest parties hit a new low, reduced to shouting matches. People have a real sense that democracy isn't working for them.

Eamonn Ward, Sheffield Green Party